Holiday Cooking, Baking, Bloggers & Cookbooks {Loving Fall: Day 15}

When fall is in full swing and Thanksgiving nears, I find myself thinking more about cooking. I don’t normally think about cooking, let’s just be honest. Eating, yes. But cooking? Not as much. But there’s something about fall and the approaching holidays that makes me want to cook ALL THE THINGS. And bake ALL THE THINGS, too.

Every season, I start pulling out all the cookbooks that I feel inspired by. It changes with the seasons. Sometimes I just pick out a few favorites and put them front and center on my shelves because their covers or titles make me feel all cozy. Sometimes the recipes seem put me in the mood to whip up something yummy.

I often have so much fun looking at them that sometimes I forget that I actually need to make dinner, but the truth is they do inspire me with the idea of slowing down to be more creative and mindful of the food we make in the kitchen. They are a reminder that the kitchen really is the heart of the home. It’s where we nurture our family in so many ways, so I really admire women who can cook and bake and make it feel so worth it and even effortless!

It’s interesting being a home decor blogger because decorating has been my hobby my entire life. So now that I do the blog and am writing all these books on the home, I have started to realize I need a new hobby. Ha!

I suddenly find myself wanting to have cooking decorating parties, bake cakes with surprises inside, bake my own bread and make pot roasts with mashed potatoes. I actually made Pioneer Woman’s pot roast and mashed potatoes the other day and it was SO yummy! Now I want to make pot roast again, but instead I made sweet potato fries while I was writing this post.

Some of these favorite bloggers even have cookbooks! I don’t have all of them (yet) but they are all on my Christmas list. I collect and enjoy cookbooks all the time, even if I never master cooking! I just feel like food bloggers and wonderful cookbook authors have given me the best gift by writing books about food and nurturing their families in the kitchen. It’s one of my favorite things about fall!

Are you a follower of food bloggers (or are you a food blogger?!!)?

Do you love cooking and baking?

Tell me some of your favorite food bloggers or some of your must-make favorite dishes this time of year!

Comments

I love reading and collecting cookbooks too! Sometimes it takes me longer to browse the recipes than the actual cooking! This fall we have been trying all kinds of soup recipes. My family loves soup with some good homemade bread to go with it! I also follow some food blogs. I love all the new ideas and it helps me broaden my food horizon and try new things!

Three questions….Where did you get your topiary? Is it real? What type of plant is it? I have been looking for a real one for my counter. I have one similar to yours, but it’s a little smaller and not real. Thanks!

I, too, love reading and browsing through cookbooks. They inspire me, too. I swear, someday, I am going to make the giant gingerbread house in Martha Stewart’s Christmas book (the one from 1989)! I probably won’t but all those cookbooks let me dream, sounds like you do too!

You have no idea how honored I am to be in this bunch. Every blogger you have described is someone I look up to and admire and want to be more like! :) Love reading your thoughts and reflections (always) and love your perspective on things. Be blessed!

I think food bloggers give us what church/community cookbooks have in the past ~ tried & true recipes! I don’t love to cook but I am going to miss baking this holiday season, poo. My DIL’s are great cooks so I’m not gonna starve :)

Oh, I love The Smitten Kitchen. Deb Perelman is the blogger there. Also the Forest Feast is just beautiful, and has lots of really simple vegetarian recipes. I’ve been working my way through “Jerusalem”. The majjedreh is really superb. So are the turkey zucchini burgers and the baba ganoush (I think they call it something else, like burnt eggplant or something). There is a butternut squash puree which would be great for Thanksgiving. My kids love that one. I also love the pictures and narration.

Melissa, I hate to admit this…but I actually collect cookbooks to use as decorating props in my kitchen…LOL! However, once in awhile I do crack them open to whip out a quick dessert or dinner. Actually my husband does all the cooking in our home and starting next month, he will be taking on-line cooking classes to satisfy his dream of becoming a chef…well just to become a better at home cook!..LOL! But nonetheless, I will be joining him in his new cooking endeavor so I might after all have to blow the dust off my cookbooks and actually use them more often. Thanks for sharing Melissa and have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Yes, yes, yes and baking sometimes!! Who doesn’t SWOON over a quality food blog? The pictures are insatiable, the recipes so delicious. I’m a huge fan of two of your already favorites – Gimme Some Oven and 101 Cookbooks – but I also adore How Sweet It Is and Simple Bites. So dreamy!!! Since October, my gal pal and I have been writing on our blog – Plum + Trinket – all about the things that inspire our lives, and cooking is certainly one of them. Right now I’m all about soup-making, mashed sweet potatoes, and brussel sprouts!! Mmmm Mhm! Wishing you lots of cooking inspiration for the holidays. :)

I have always enjoyed reading cookbooks, just like a favorite novel! I’ve always enjoyed cooking and baking even though my health, now, doesn’t allow me the privilege as I once had. I had a side-vocation of making wedding cakes which gave me a sense of expressing myself just as an artist who paints or someone who does sculpturing. I continue to read every cookbook, cooking magazine and several foodie blogs, that come my way, with great pleasure.
One of my favorite bloggers is Christy Jordan of Christy Jordan’s Southern Plate. Her recipes come from generations of family members who cook down-home and appease the need for comfort food.

Hi Melissa! I actually just almost posted under your “Introduce Yourself Blog’ then I read today’s and thought…well here might even be better:) My husband and I live in Baton Rouge, LA and we renovate homes veeeeerrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy slowly, since we live in them with our two little ones while doing it. In fact we just marble in our kitchen, and just read that you love your quartz….SO wish we would have looked into that! Love the marble but it is so high maintenance….especially for someone that is Not! We love your aesthetic, and actually designing our wintry laid back Christmas decor around your Christmas decor from last year. As far as food blogs, I am a dietitian for best-selling Trim and Terrific cookbook author, Holly Clegg, helping her write nutritious recipes and blogs – that are yummy and best of EASY! I would love to send you her cookbooks, since you are such an avid collector. Looking forward to more holiday decor!

Thanks for sharing some of your favorite food blogs, will have to check them out. I like easy and healthy, so I always check Two Peas and their Pod, Chelsea’s Messy Apron, and ifoodreal. Chelsea has some amazing slow cooker meals that have become staples in our house. Makes meal planning much easier!

I love to cook! It has become part of my blog as well. I add recipes here and there. My favorite food blog is Iowa Girl Eats. Her recipes are healthy and easy. Her photography is amazing! Another great one is A Spicy Perspective. Check them out. They are sure to inspire you to make some new dinners! I don’t bake much so I will check out some of the baking blogs you suggested. I need to start giving it a try!